It’s that time of year when wildlife begin to have their offspring. So when encountering young wild animals be it deer, raccoons, rabbits, opossums, birds or other species, the Pennsylvania Game Commission said to leave them alone.

“As well-intentioned some folks can be,” Matt Schnupp, PGC’s Bureau of Wildlife Management Director said, “that what appears to be an abandoned animal or bird, rest assured the mother is probably nearby and waiting for you to leave so she can return.”

Schnupp explains that adult animals often leave their young while they forage for food, but they don’t go far and they do return. Wildlife often rely on a natural defensive tactic called “hider strategy,” where young animals will remain motionless and “hide” in surrounding cover while adults draw the attention of predators or other intruders away from their young. Deer employ this strategy with their fawns.

Taking in wild animals or birds comes with risks of fleas, ticks, lice even rabies.

Worse yet, Schnupp goes on to tell of a fawn a family illegally took into their home and raised until it became a 6-point buck when the buck suddenly attacked and severely injured two people. Again, it’s illegal to take in wild animals and it comes with a fine up to $1,500 per animal.

Another drawback is the rabies problem. Schnupp said that although rabies might show obvious symptoms, they can still transmit the disease and rabies may differ from animal to animal. Species such as skunks, raccoons, foxes, bats coyotes and groundhogs can carry different strains of rabies. And people can get rabies from the saliva of a rabid animal if they are bitten or scratched, or if the saliva gets into a person’s eyes, mouth or a fresh wound. The PGC also reminds folks to keep domestic pets under control at all times. Dogs often will kill deer fawns and other baby animals.

Keep in mind that only licensed wildlife rehabilitators are permitted to care for injured or orphaned wildlife for the purpose of eventual release back into the wild. This occurs at times with hawks or an eagle getting hit by a vehicle. If coming across one of the above situations, a wildlife rehabilitator can be found on the Pennsylvania Association of Wildlife Rehabilitators website (www.pawr.com) or call the PGC at 833-PGC-Wild or 833-PGC-Hunt. The exception of course would be if it’s a coyote, fox or deer that’s still alive. Then it’s best to call local police and report it.

TROUT STOCKING

The Little Lehigh Creek was stocked with trout this past Saturday within the Lehigh Parkway stretch. The trout stocked were from the Lil-Le-Hi Trout Hatchery.

NEW JERSEY

SHORE FISHING

If you’re heading to shore points this weekend, our On the Water Magazine reporters say that trophy stripers are taking eels and metal lips along the beaches while the sea bass bite remains excellent as does fluke and sheepshead in the backwaters.